18 | Sports
M eet the Captains: K yle Thompson '18 By Ricky Weipz ?19
or basketball related.?
Everybody is gearing up for this upcoming basketball season, and Kyle Thompson ?18 is taking up one of the team?s main leadership roles, along with Darius Kinnel ?18 and Gabe Arizin ?19. Thompson says, ?Being named a captain for the second year in a row is really special for me because I can look back and see all of the talented guys who were also captains in the past and see all that they've accomplished in their Prep basketball careers. The bar has been set high for me and I'm just trying to leave my mark as another prep basketball captain.?
After a heartbreaking loss to Roman Catholic in last year?s Catholic League playoff game, Thompson says that this year, ?We are trying to move forward and grow as a team. We are continuing to get better everyday and that is all we can ask for.?
It is not all hoops and homework for Kyle. In his free time he is a master chef. His favorite dish to cook: seafood scampi. Most athletes want to fuel up before going on the court. For Thompson, his go-to pregame meal is always, ?a homemade breakfast wrap, or some pasta compliments of Sage dining.? Since hoops season is here, we can all see what the Hawks, and Thompson, have cooking in the kitchen for the rest of the PCL.
(Photo: City of Basketball Love)
Thompson is the only four year player on Speedy Morris? squad this year. He hopes to use this experience to become ?an extension of Coach Morris on the basketball court with all of the wisdom I have accumulated over the past four years.? Not only does Thompson care about the result on the court, but also off of it. He told me, ?A good leader?s leadership transcends just a basketball court. I am here to make sure my guys are not only handling their business on the court but in school as well, because if the academics aren't taken care of then there is no basketball. Along with that, I think that being a senior and having experienced all aspects of the Prep enables me to dish out good advice to all of my teammates whether that be school
With the NBA season starting back up, Thompson can now watch his favorite player, Kyrie Irving. ?Not only is he a Jersey native,? Thompson said, ?but he also has the best finishing ability out of any guard I've been alive to see and his ball handling is just magical.? He also describes the new Boston Celtic as ?a human cheat code.? He even said, ?I personally don?t think he is human.? Kyle is also jokingly considering getting a ?Friends? tattoo like the one Irving already has, because it is his favorite show.
Point guard Kyle Thompson '18, one of the three captains of the Prep basketball team, in action last year against Roman Catholic.
By M att Brennan ?18 Senior captain Riley Herriman ?18 enters the 201718 squash season with high hopes. Along with Pat Morrison ?18, Herriman heralds the team this season as a captain. Other than playing squash, Herriman ?18 is a mainstay for the Varsity soccer team and referees for the United States development academy; he is also an avid photographer. In addition, Herriman ?18 is a member of the National Honor Society and takes many AP classes. Even though he participates in many other activities, Herriman is focused on being a captain for the squash team this season. After the departure of Thomas Prim ?17, the sole captain last season, Herriman hopes to lead the team to success. When responding about how it feels to be chosen as a squash captain, Herriman said, ?There comes a lot of responsibility
as captain. I feel we are held to a higher standard and have to be a role model for the younger players in the program.? While squash is a somewhat individual sport, leadership is required to keep the team focused and energized. Herriman answered when asked about the importance of leadership, ?We are legit. Before every match, we remind ourselves of what our coach, Rob Whitehouse, preaches: ?I really think we can win this one.? This mentality might not always work, but if I tried my hardest, I have no regrets leaving the squash court.? Going into each match with this mentality helps to keep each player focused on doing the best they can no matter who their opponent is. In order to achieve their captain?s goals for the season, the team needs to work hard and continue to use this mindset. Herriman sets his sights high for the squash team
this season: ?We are hoping to make it back to Nationals which will be in Philly this year. Our chances are looking pretty optimistic. My greatest goal would be to win as a team at nationals with a student section.? While nationals is the captain?s ultimate goal, the squad is going to have to get through a lot of obstacles along the way. With a challenging season ahead of the squad, Herriman is hoping to lead them to success. Herriman commented on his anticipation for the season, ?There is a squash brotherhood that I love. There's just a bunch of guys having fun, hitting some balls, relieving the stress that the Prep can cause at times.? With the everyday stress that the Prep places on its students, a fun activity assists in alleviating some of it. Another thing that Herriman looks forward to is a sport other than squash.
(Photo: Behance)
M eet the Captains: Riley Her r iman '18
Riley Herriman, photographer for The Hawkeye and a member of the soccer team, is one of the two squash captains.
Herriman replied, ?The best part about the squash team for me is getting to play Real Tennis, aka court tennis. We are the only high school team in the nation, and most likely world, who plays and it is the coolest sport. In that respect, we are hoping to play in some tournaments and possibly Junior Nationals.? Real tennis is a sport that is the basis for which mod-
ern tennis was derived. Although it has lost popularity over the last century, organizations around the world still try to keep the sport alive. Even though the team is mainly for squash, it is also interested in this classical sport. With the strong leadership from its captains, the Prep squash team is ready for a successful_.season.